Cornell Bans Fraternity Parties Amid Gang Rape Allegations

Authored by Jackson Richman via The Epoch Times,

Cornell University has banned parties at fraternity houses for the rest of the academic year amid a reopened investigation into an alleged rape on campus two years ago.

In an Oct. 13 statement, the university’s president, Michael Kotlikoff, said “all parties and social events in Interfraternity Council (IFC) houses at Cornell will be suspended for the remainder of the 2026 – 2027 academic year.” This, he said, gives “time for a thorough review of fraternity life at Cornell to determine whether and how it can safely continue.”

Fraternities that hold in-house parties or events would be subject to an immediate emergency suspension.

Cornell has more than 20 active fraternities affiliated with its IFC. The Epoch Times has reached out to the IFC for comment.

It is unclear whether the new policy applies to off-campus gatherings and events.

Kotlikoff’s statement comes less than two weeks after New York Attorney General Letitia James announced an investigation into an alleged gang rape of a woman by Cornell students in October 2024.

That woman, a Cornell student only known as Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit on Sept. 16 against the university, the Chi Phi fraternity, and others, alleging sexual assault and negligence. Cornell said that an internal probe led to some students being expelled, other students being suspended, and Chi Phi being kicked off campus. No students were criminally charged.

The woman was “plied with alcohol and drugs to the point of intoxication” at a fraternity house in Ithaca, New York, in October 2024, according to the lawsuit. She was “incapable of consenting” when coerced into taking drugs and forced to participate in sexual acts, the lawsuit stated. She reported the incident to campus police in November 2024.

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten reopened the investigation into the alleged rape after the suit was filed. The woman went to campus police but did not claim she was gang raped or drugged, he said in a statement on Sept. 28. Instead, she “described her participation in drug use and sexual conduct as voluntary, conscious, and consensual.”

“Seeking justice sometimes requires us to reconsider or reopen cases when we are provided with additional evidence,” Van Houten said at the time. “I have been asked by the community to revisit the decision whether to pursue criminal charges against the seven fraternity members. I have already begun that process, starting with our conversation with Jane Doe and her attorneys.”

Cornell welcomed the renewed investigation into what allegedly happened. Kotlikoff said the Ivy League school would carry out reforms in response.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed James as special prosecutor to probe what occurred, removing Van Houten from the case.

The woman went to police and alleged she was raped, according to the governor during an Oct. 2 briefing.

“Yet, shockingly, those words never made it into the account that the Cornell police sent to prosecutors,” Hochul said.

Van Houten supported the move and said he would cooperate with James.

“I support the appointment of Attorney General James and I trust that she will examine the facts and apply the law,” he previously said in a statement to The Epoch Times.

Cornell has hired former Deputy U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates to lead an independent review of the school’s response.

In his statement, Kotlikoff said there would be more staff to the Cornell Office of Civil Rights, “including the appointment of a dedicated case manager who will help individuals who report sexual misconduct navigate other university processes as needed.”

He also said Cornell is working with the New York State Police to allow their criminal investigators, who are independent of the school, to investigate allegations of sexual assault on the campus.

Cornell will “accelerate the implementation of the recommendations of the Presidential Task Force on Sexual Assault and expand the scope and nature of the recommendations by engaging the campus community,” according to Kotlikoff.

“These are first steps toward systemic change on our campus,” he said. “We will take all necessary steps to address the conditions that led to Jane Doe’s experiences, and those of other survivors.

“Cornell must be a place where safety is not an open question.”

Kotlikoff’s statement comes ahead of a faculty senate meeting where members are expected to vote on a measure expressing no confidence in the administration on its handling of sexual assault at the university.